


Follow Through

by veramoray



Series: Dianakko Week 2019 [2]
Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: But it’s not bad, Dianakko Week, Dianakko Week 2019, F/F, Fluff, Rivals, Soccer AU, i would also say to lovers but they don’t kiss yet sorry, minor character injury, rivals to friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-09-01 22:01:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20265190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veramoray/pseuds/veramoray
Summary: Dianakko Week Day 2: Rivals/CompetitionAkko follows through, but not in the way you might expect. Soccer AU.





	Follow Through

**Author's Note:**

> Written for dianakko week 2019!
> 
> Day Two: Rivals, but not for long because honestly they’re in love and we all know it and thats why we’re here. Enjoy! Sorry in advance for any and all typos/mistakes!
> 
> I did play soccer for nine years, but this may not all be 100% accurate so don’t hurt me please. I’m imagining them in a sort of recreational league, so not super competitive but still basic soccer rules and stuff. In this AU I imagine them “meeting” in their last year of rec camp (so they’re like 17) before they end up playing together in travel later. 
> 
> This is intended as a one shot, but I would like to write more of this soccer AU sometime! Let me know if you want to see more of this by leaving a comment/kudo!

The truth is, it was an impressive shot. All of her training was on full display as she pulled her leg back, locked eyes with her teammate in the distance, and swept her leg in a powerful arc.

Maybe it was _ too _ impressive; definitely too much for such close quarters, as Akko was currently being pursued on one side by an intimidating blonde girl with chilling blue eyes and one of Akko’s own teammates; on the other side of her was the edge of the field, which was growing closer the more the blonde forward closed in on her.

Akko’s breath left her mouth in short puffs as she turned away from her teammate across the field at the last moment, a moment too soon, and trained her eyes on the ball in front of her. Her first mistake.

Akko’s kick powered through, and it was set up to be beautiful—exceptfor one very small issue.

The ball would have soared halfway down the field if it hadn’t been interrupted by the blonde girl’s face, the girl she had stolen the ball from in the first place further downfield (earning her a huff of frustration from the forward, but hey, it was her job as a defense to keep the ball as far away from the goal as possible). Akko grimaced as she watched it happen, almost in slow motion, as the ball left the ground and smacked the blonde square in the jaw. 

Okay, maybe it was a bigger issue than she thought.

_ Shit, _Akko thought as the girl—Cavendish, number seven, she read on the back of her uniform—was thrown off her feet by the force of the impact and fell face down on the ground. A whistle blew and suddenly everyone stopped, immediately dropping down onto one knee.

“Diana!” 

_ So that’s her name. _

They had played enough games against each other to where Akko knew their faces and most of their numbers and last names, and enough for her to know that this team was particularly good, but she didn’t know them well enough to be on a first-name basis. The Red team had lost almost every match against them, except for one tie last season, and that was only because Diana had been MIA. She was clearly their star player and Akko had nearly taken her out.

“Diana, are you okay?” asked one of her teammates as she rushed over and grabbed one of Cavendish’s arms, hauling her up out of the dirt.

Groaning, the girl pushed herself up with the aid of her teammate and wiped the smudge of mud from her face where the ball had hit her. The fall had loosened her ponytail, and she blew a stray platinum lock out of her face as it fell into her eyes. The referee jogged over to where Cavendish was still pulling herself together, dusting the grass and dirt off of her blue uniform and straightening her ponytail, rolling her neck as she stretched out her jaw with a pained expression.

_ I am SO sorry, _Akko mouthed as soon as she caught the girl’s eye, doing her best to show her the most apologetic look she could muster.

Cavendish only nodded stiffly at her before informing the ref that she was okay, and no she did not need to sit out. There were streaks of dirt on her arms and shin guards, but other than that she was unmarked. Her face stung and there was the slight coppery tang of blood in her mouth, but she wasn’t seeing double and the pain was slowly ebbing away. She straightened her uniform and returned to her position.

“Nice one, _ Kagari,” _ sneered the teammate who had helped Diana, an auburn-haired girl with a yellow bow in her ponytail, before trotting back to the other side of the field. Akko hunched over guiltily, but she was relieved she hadn’t hurt anyone too bad.

The ref called for a penalty kick regardless, which earned Akko a few annoyed looks from her teammates (and some choice words from Amanda as well, going unnoticed by Akko due to her internal screaming: _ “That’s what you get for nailing _ ** _the_ ** _ Diana Cavendish in the jaw. For fuck’s sake, Akko”_). Since Cavendish’s team was already halfway up their side of the field, it would only take one well-aimed kick to put them back at the start again.

Akko sighed, shrugged away her nagging thoughts of feeling very sorry for herself, and got into position. She had a goal to defend.

* * *

The last half of the game was less eventful, the Red team ending with 3 goals and the Blue team with 5. It would have been closer except the penalty kick ended up being more of a freebie.

Both teams had left the field by now and were stripping off their equipment. As soon as she peeled off the gross guard that almost felt like a second skin by this point, Akko felt the cool air on her sweaty skin and sighed in relief. Her feet still felt stuffy in her cleats, but those would have to wait until she got home. She tossed her shin guards and goalie gloves (she'd goalied in the second half—she wasn’t half bad, actually, and almost preferred it to defending) into her drawstring bag and cinched it shut, throwing the straps over her shoulders. Akko picked herself up off the ground, taking a long and much-needed drink from her water bottle. She glanced over to see Cavendish removing her own socks and shin guards, the stark white number seven printed on the back of her shirt mostly hidden behind her tangled ponytail. Her skin was pale white in the overcast afternoon, the clouds having rolled in just as the game reached its final moments. 

Akko watched the way her shoulders rolled beneath the blue uniform as she finished removing the last of her equipment and attempted to muster up the courage to confront her. She really should apologize properly—Akko didn’t want to start the season by making any enemies, old _or _new, and she wanted to make sure they at least had a chance to get off on the right foot. Diana’s other teammates, also forwards, had been shooting her sidelong glances the entire rest of the game—and not the good kind. Strengthening her resolve, she took a deep breath and made her way over to her.

“Hey...” Akko said nervously. Diana tensed at being caught unaware, but slowly turned her head to look up at her with an even gaze. Akko wrung the lid of her bottle in her hands absentmindedly. “Um, I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to hit you.”

Cavendish eyed her curiously. “Apology accepted,” she said, shoving the last of her equipment into the duffel bag in front of her before standing up to face Akko properly. “Next time, remember to keep your eyes focused on your target.”

“Yeah,” Akko laughed sheepishly. “Thanks. I will. I guess I overshot it a bit, huh? Sorry again. These bad boys just have a loooot of unchecked power,” she rambled, hitting of her thighs awkwardly.

The blonde’s cheeks were already pink from exertion, but they did turn slightly darker as her attention was drawn by the motion to Akko’s legs. Her shorts left very little to the imagination after all, but if Akko noticed she didn’t say anything.

Diana cleared her throat. “I see,” she said. “Well, all is forgiven. Accidents happen.” 

A tense silence developed between them, but it was interrupted as one of the Blue team's members called out, "Diana! Coach is about done packing up. You coming?"

Diana looked over her shoulder to respond, "Yeah! Just a second." She turned back towards Akko, “Um—”

“Uh—” Akko began at the same time. “Oh! No, you first—“

“I’m sorry, please continue—” Cavendish promptly shut her mouth as she unintentionally interrupted the girl again. She cleared her throat, flushing slightly in embarrassment, and straightened her posture.

“I was just going to say it was nice to meet you properly," Diana stated politely. "And," she added, "regardless of its final destination, that would have been a solid pass. It may have even saved the game for your team. That is, if it had not been interrupted by my face.”

“Oh! Um,” Akko rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. “Thank you?” Cavendish’s stiff expression made it difficult to tell if she was joking or not, so she opted not to laugh just in case.

The girl nodded and smiled politely (and _wow,_ Akko thought, _she has a really pretty smile)_ before hoisting her bag onto her shoulder. She prepared to turn away, but Akko stopped her at the last second with a light touch on her shoulder.

“My Akko is name, by the way. I-I mean,” she stuttered, her cheeks warming. “My name, uh, my name is Akko!” _ Idiot, _ she facepalmed internally. _ Why do you do this to yourself? _

The corner of the blonde’s mouth twitched in amusement as she wiped her sweaty palm on her shorts before holding it out in greeting. “Diana,” she said simply.

“Diana,” Akko repeated with a smile, even though she already knew. She took the offered hand and shook it enthusiastically. “Well it’s very nice to meet you too, Diana! Except I think it would have been much nicer if we had met under different circumstances. And by different I mean less painful. Sorry again.”

“I-It’s quite alright,” Diana assured with wide eyes, not having expected her hand to be shaken so... _ vivaciously. _She released the girl’s hand, looking up from it to find Akko grinning back at her with the most wondrous smile.

“Well,” Diana said, glancing over her shoulder for the second time at where her team was waiting for her. “See you around, _ Akko.” _

“Y-yeah!” Akko began backing away towards her team, but not before bumping into the low metal bench that sat on the sidelines, quietly cursing at the sharp pain that shot up her leg. “Uh, see you around!”

Diana watched the girl—Akko—curiously as she scampered off, a peculiar feeling stirring in her chest. She had always thought of Akko as a skilled player, if not a bit rash at times, but it was delightful to find out how charming she really was.

_She’s cute, _Diana thought almost absentmindedly.

Diana’s gaze traveled over her as she walked away, briefly admiring the lean but toned muscle where her skin was exposed. She snapped her eyes back up at the sound of the girl’s teammates laughing as they lightly teased her, and Akko scrunched up her nose in an adorable fake pout before grinning and pulling them all in for a team hug. She was a bit overly enthusiastic with it, as with most things, and they all tumbled unceremoniously into a groaning heap on the ground.

Diana felt a smile tug at her lips as she thought again to herself before turning away, _ Very cute. _

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: this is based on a true story. when i was playing soccer in rec league i got nailed in the face by a cold, hard soccer ball in rainy weather. and i was wearing braces. it hurt. rip diana’s perfect jaw.
> 
> and they /did/ call for a penalty kick right after that, but i’m not sure if it was bc i got hit or bc of something else? it’s been a long time, so don’t @ me :-P 
> 
> let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment or kudo, or come talk to me on tumblr @nosiidam! thank you for reading!


End file.
